Cheney was dangerous because of his deep but misguided knowledge. Palin's danger, on the other hand, stems from her deep ignorance.Believe me, Palin depresses me even more than the economy. I think the American economy has the potential to recover eventually, no matter how serious the current situation. Nevertheless, whenever I see Palin, she reminds me of how far politicians can go to realize their ambitions. It's mind-boggling that Senator John McCain, a man who has put country first -- at least during his military career -- and deservedly uses that as his main slogan in the campaign, picked someone like Palin as his chief advisor just to win the presidential seat. The I'd-rather-lose-an-election-than-lose-a-war type of statesmanship is not there.
Yes, Palin is a good-looking lady with a pretty family, with some attributes that appeal to middle America. She may be the successful mayor of a small town or the governor of a small state. Not to mention her communication skills, as evident in her convention acceptance speech and Thursday's debate with Senator Joe Biden. Yet whenever Palin speaks beside him, McCain somehow cannot hide his uneasiness. I've seen him many times keeping an eye on her reading material, playing with his fingers -- all clear signs of anxiety. How could people in the US and the world's main street not be worried?
Americans, especially Republicans, were initially excited about Palin when they met her during her acceptance speech at the Republican convention. Evangelicals, unenthusiastic with McCain, fell in love with her religiosity, especially her opposition to abortion. Her appearance at the debate with Biden can energize the Republican base a little bit, but I think the Palin wind is now largely over. Fiscal conservatives, disappointed with the Bush administration's handling of the economy and very worried about the current crisis, are increasingly critical of the Palin choice. The female voters McCain was hoping to steal do not seem to be in love with Palin. A recent Time magazine survey shows a widening lead by Obama over McCain among women.
According to a recent Washington Post-ABC poll, about half of all voters expressed discomfort with the idea of McCain taking office at age 72. God forbid, but if McCain dies, Palin will have to replace him. Six in 10 voters find her lacking in the experience necessary to be an effective president. Only 46 percent of those surveyed think she understands complex issues. And they are not wrong. Palin was clearly caught off-guard in response to a question by ABC's Charlie Gibson on what she thinks of the "Bush doctrine," a famous foreign policy term she doesn't know. Perhaps her lowest moment came when she was unable to name a Supreme Court decision that she disagreed with during an interview with CBS's Katie Couric.
Why am I focusing so much on a possible future vice president, a secondary figure compared to the president? First of all, the vice presidential picks say a lot about the judgment and character of the person at the top of the ticket. Secondly, the office of the vice presidency can make a real difference, for better or worse, at such a critical time for both the economy and national security. If a future president is relatively inexperienced, he can take comfort in having knowledgeable advisors. But if a president's number-one advisor is not competent enough, that might be costly. There is at least an opportunity cost.
As evident in the Bush administration years, White House mistakes yield costly outcomes not only for Americans but also for the whole world. See how the mistakes with the Iraq war and the economy have shaken the globe. The world would like to see a sensible attitude from the American people and their leaders. This year's election is too serious to be treated as a usual political game. There will be consequences for everybody. I don't think Senator McCain's pick for vice president has been a sufficiently serious one. Or if this is as serious as he can get, we might have an even more serious problem.
